The Clerk of Courts’ Office encompasses the criminal, juvenile and orphans’ divisions of the Court of Common Pleas. The criminal court deals with all criminal cases, the Accelerated Rehabilitation Program and juvenile records. The orphans’ court handles records chronicling births, deaths, marriages, divorces, adoptions, guardianship for incapacitated people and estate settlement. The office also collects court fines, costs and restitutions.

When court is in session, the Clerk of Courts takes all the pertinent files for each defendant to the courtroom; the Clerk of Courts will also swear in witnesses.

Marriage License:

The Clerk of Court's Office also issues marriage license. Both parties must be present when applying for their marriage license ... our office is located on the first floor of the Courthouse. The issuing fee for the marriage license is $31 cash only, and a photo id is required for both parties (i.e., drivers license).

Questions asked when applying for a marriage license, include information about both parents (their names, birth date, birth place, & occupation); the same questions will be asked about each applying party. There is a three-day waiting period before the license is issued, but it is good for 60 days once issued (anywhere in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania).

If either party has been married & divorced/death, the divorce decree must be provided. The whole process takes about 20-30 minutes.

Records:

Marriage Records: A marriage record contains information about a marriage between two individuals. On a marriage record, you can at least find the bride's and groom's full names, the date of the marriage, and county where the marriage took place. Marriage licenses' are all digitally archived and copies can be requested through the mail. Marriage licenses from 1885 are available at the courthouse, along with births from 1893 to 1915. Birth records after 1915 are maintained at the Division of Vital Records in New Castle, Pa.

Adoption Records: Adoption records are all sealed in Greene County; they cannot be opened without court approval. And as with a juvenile record, they are impounded.

Orphans' Records: Under the orphans’ court, there are several ways to settle an estate, including first and final account that can take as little as 30 days to settle as long as there are no exceptions. Secondly, receipt and release occurs when all the heirs sign a release, and third, a family settlement decree is issued when everyone is in agreement. If an estate is not settled in the allotted time, a warrant can be issued for arrest.

Criminal Dockets: Old criminal dockets are still housed at the Greene County Courthouse, but in 1996, the county began automating criminal dockets. The courthouse has an extensive index list of criminal records dating from 1800.

Division of Vital Records:

The Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records maintains records of births and deaths that occurred in Pennsylvania from 1906 to the present. These vital records are not open to public inspection. The Division of Vital Records issues only certified copies of birth and death that are acceptable for numerous uses: passport, Social Security, employment, insurance benefits, etc.